This invention relates to artificial eyes, and particularly artificial eyes used for mannequins.
It is important that an artificial eye for a mannequin have a lifelike, sparkling appearance if the mannequin is to be attractive. The most popular artificial eye is one made of glass and imported into the United States. The glass eye has a bulbous glass base, with a glass insert that is painted or pigmented to look like the iris and pupil of the human eye. The glass insert is mounted in a concave recess in the base.
Although the glass eye has a lifelike appearance, it suffers from many serious disadvantages. First, it is a handcrafted item, produced by a cottage industry labor force, and thus, there are great variations in quality and appearance from one eye to another. Even the two eyes that are to make a pair of eyes can differ from each other. In addition, the supply of the eyes to the United States is erratic and undependable.
Another disadvantage with the glass eye is that it is breakable, both in shipment and in use. Furthermore, there is no handle or other mounting means for easy mounting of the eye into a mannequin.
Another problem with the glass eyes is the expense involved. The workers who produce the eyes are generally skilled craftsman, and can require a premium in wages.
Therefore, it is obvious there is a need for a low cost, lifelike, durable eye which can be produced dependably and reproducibly.